Electric air heater



Jan. 25 a 1927.

O. A. COLBY ELECTRIC AIR HEATER Filed Oct, 11, 1925 -L H Li *1 ii n wwwwwwww u gnaw INVENTOR Orafl. (o/4y ATTORNEY sheet metal members.

Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORA A. COLBY, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TC WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 86 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC AIR HEATER.

Application filed October 11, 1923. Serial No. 667,868.

My invention relates to electric heating apparatus and particularly to electric air heaters.

The object of my invention is to provide an electric air heater of relatively simple and compact construction that shall heat the surrouding air partially by radiation and partially by convection.

In practicing my invention, I provide a casing having a top and a plurality of bottom openings therein. A combined reflector plate and resistor-supporting member is located in said casing and extends vertically therein.

A pair of resistor-supporting bars are located, one in front of, and one in the rear of, said plate and a helical resistor member is wound around the three resistorsupporting members. A manually operable damper is provided for adjusting the relative amounts of air permitted to flow past the front of, and the rear of, said reflector plate and may be utilized to prevent the entrance of any air into the casing.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of an electric air heater embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view, in vertical lateral section therethrough.

An electric air heater 11 comprises a metal casing 12 that may be built up in any suitable or desired manner employing either a plurality of castings or a plurality of formed The heater 11 is provided at its upper end with an ornamental top portion 13 having an opening 14; therein extending longitudinally thereof and conforming in its general contour to the top part of the portion 13. A plurality of supporting members 15, which are provided, are suitably secured to the bottom of the casing 12.

A combined reflector plate and a resistorsupporting member 16 is located within the bottom portion of the casing 12 and it extends longitudinally and vertically thereof. Any suitable or desired method of securing this late against, or in, the casing 12 may be emp oyed and as this feature forms no part of my invention, such method is not further illustrated or described in detail. At its upper edge, the plate 16 is provided with a substantially co-extensive member 17 of a suitable electric-insulating material which may be of substantially rounded form, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

A resistor-supporting rod 18 and a substantially similar rod 19, are located res ecl'ively in front of and in back of the p ate 16 and are spaced therefrom a suitable distance. The members 18 and 19 extend substantially parallel to the plate 16 and are made of suitable electric-insulating material.

A resistor member 21 comprises a helically wound wire that is wound over the members 17, 18 and 19, extending through spaced openings 22 provided in the plate 16. Any desired number of turns or convolutions may be employed, as it is only necessary that the adjacent convolutions of the resistor member 21 be spaced apart a suitable distance to prevent accidental contact during operation of the heater.

A relatively narrow elongated opening 23 is provided in the bottom of the casing 12 immediately in front of the plate 16 and a relatively larger opening 24 is rovided in the bottom of the casing 12 in ack of the plate 16. Means for adjusting the amount of air entering either of the openings 23 and 2a comprises a damper member 25, of substantially L-shape, that is supported by a shaft 26 mounted in suitable bearing members (not shown) and manually adjustable by a knob 27 secured to one end of the shaft 26.

As it is desired to heat the air surrounding the heater 11 partially by radiation and partially by convection, the front surface of the. reflector plate 16 may be polished or provided with an enamel coating in order that the heat generated in that part of the resistor located substantially in front of the reflector 16 may be radiated through a front opening 28 provided in the casing 12. The member 25 may be. moved to substantially the position illustrated by the broken lines in Fig. 2, in which case the opening 2st permits air to flow through the casing 12 back of the plate 16 and out through the upper opening 14. In this position, any air entering the opening 23 is prevented from traversing the casing 12 by reason of the inner portion of the member 25 operatively engaging the front of the plate 16, thereby forming a trap for any air that may enter the opening 23.

By moving the member 25 in its supports, it is possible to adjust the relative amounts of air entering the openings 23 and 24 and to permit a small amount of air to flow past the heating element in front of the reflector plate, it such action is desired.

Any suitable or desired terminal construction may be employed in combination with the heating element 21, and as this forms no part of my invention, it is not further illustrated nor described.

The device embodying my invention thus provides a relatively small electric heater that is adapted to heat the air surrounding the same, partially by radiation and partially by convection, and it further provides a means for varying the amount of heat imparted to the surrounding air by convection.

Various modifications and changes may be made herein without departing tron] the spirit and scope oi. the invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric heater, in combination, a casing having a front opening therein, a combined resistor-supporting and reflector member in said casing, a pair of resistor-supporting members located in symmetricallyspaced relation relatively to said combined resistor-supporting and reflector nember, and a resistor member wound on said three supports whereby substantially one half of the heat generated in said resistor is reflected from said reflector through said front opening.

2. In an electric heater, in combination, a

easing, a combined resistor-supporting and reflector plate extending vertically in said casing, a pair of resistor-supporting members in said casing, one being located in front of and one in back of said plate, a resistor member wound on said three supporting members, and means for permitting air to flow through said casing back of said reflector plate to be heated by a part 01'' said resistor member.

8. In an electric heater, in combination, a

casing a combined resistor-supporting and reflector plate extending vertically in said casing, a pair of resistor-supporting members in said casing one being located in front of and one in back oi said plate, a resistor member wound on said three supporting members, means for permitting air to flow through said casing back of said reflector plate to be heated by a part of said resistor member, and means for regulating the amount of air so admitted.

4. In an electric heater, in combination, a casing, a combined resistor-supporting and reflector plate extending vertically in said casing, a pair of resistor-supporting members in said casing, one being located in tront of and one in back of said plate, a resistor member Wound on said three supporting members, means for permitting air to flow through said casing in front and in back of said reflector plate, and means for varying the relative amounts 01 air flowing in front and in back of said reflector.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this (3th day of October, 1923.

ORA A. COLBY. 

